


In From The Cold

by Oblivion_Wanderer



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 05:44:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7672387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion_Wanderer/pseuds/Oblivion_Wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One winter's day E.R. doctor Anna Strong encounters a man who has been out in the cold for far too long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In From The Cold

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in two parts and posted on tumblr, but thought I'd post them here as a whole. From this prompt- meeting in the E.R./A&E AU

Anna could feel the winter chill from the open doors when she met up with the paramedics. The cold air made her shiver.  
  
“What do we got?” Anna asked, gesturing to the unconscious man wrapped up in a grey blanket that was just brought in.  
  
“Male. 34. Poor bastard's been out in the cold far too long.” Her friend, Caleb, one of the paramedics answered.  
  
“There's also an injury to his right foot.” Ben, another friend, added. “A few of his toes are gone; likely due to frostbite, but it looks like they were cut off.”  
  
“Of course it's frostbite. Maybe he was trying to keep it from spreading further.” Anna replied. “How long as he been unconscious?”  
  
“In and out since we got him in the ambulance. He's stable, but... he's awfully cold, Annie, and he is showing signs of frostbite.”  
  
“Got an ID on the man?”  
  
“He said his name was Edmund Hewlett.”  
  
“Alright... You two run along; I'll handle this.” She patted her two friends on the shoulder and sent them on their way before returning to her new patient. Edmund Hewlett they said his name was.  
  
She took a look at his damaged foot- there were a few toes missing and Anna sighed. They did look cut and she noted the signs of frostbite. He might have done this to himself, but that was an answer she would only get when he was awake. Likely he was hypothermic too, so as long as he was kept warm, he should recover. There was also a worry of the frostbite spreading and getting his foot patched up, but his body temperature needed to get back up first of all.  
  
After assessing his overall condition and getting an IV into him, Anna turned her gaze up to Edmund's face, taking in his features for the first time. There was sort of an odd attractiveness about him. Gently, Anna put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Mr. Hewlett; can you hear me?” She asked. She tried again after she got no response, and this time he stirred and slowly opened his eyes.  
  
“Where... am I?” He asked weakly.  
  
“You're in the hospital.”  
  
“Oh... Are you an angel?”  
  
Anna blushed. “No. I'm Doctor Anna Strong. I'll be taking care of you.”  
  
“Apologies.” He closed his eyes again and moved to head to the side. “The light around your head... And I saw the stars in your eyes.”  
  
'Ceiling lights.' Anna thought, but Anna figured he must be out of it concerning the latter part of his sentence.  
  
“Anyway... We're going to fix you right up. I'm going to patch up your foot-”  
  
“Had to cut them off.” He muttered, interrupting her. “Couldn't feel them... I had to do it.”  
  
_'So he did cut off his own toes. Smart.'_  
  
“You must've been in a lot of pain, but you did the right thing.” Anna continued. “You're fortunate; your condition isn't too bad. However we'll keep you here for a few days to give your body time to recover, and to make sure the frostbite doesn't spread further or that you don't develop an infection. Do you understand?”  
  
Edmund nodded. “It's cold...”  
  
“Your body temperature is down. That's another thing we'll have to keep an eye on; make sure it goes back up. Just rest and let us do the work.”  
  
His eyes opened, looking up at her. “Will you stay, Dr. Strong?”  
  
Anna, wanting to reassure her patient he would be okay, took one of his hands. “I'll be right here.”  
  
Edmund slipped back into unconsciousness and Anna took to his foot injury, as promised. She cleaned the wound and applied fresh bandages. He'd confirmed he inflicted it upon himself, and it was kind of a lopsided job, but he'd live. Once that was taken care of, she checked in temperature and vitals.  
  
He was stable, but Anna knew she would have to keep an eye on him. He'd just been brought in from the cold after being out there for... well, she didn't know how long. In any case, she'd continue to monitor his condition until his temperature was back up to a stable point.  
  
Being an E.R. doctor though, she wasn't able to stay by his side long, but before she left, she made a note and left it with Edmund.

 

* * *

  
  
Edmund woke up surrounded by white walls, and for a moment he thought he was in the snow again. But then he realized he didn't feel as cold as before. He felt a pull in his arm when he tried to move and realized he was hooked up to an IV drip. Getting a look around, he assumed he was in a hospital.  
  
He remembered the hellish three days he spent out in the cold- in the dead of winter- after he escaped that madman, Simcoe, the one who had been intent on killing him. He had to eventually cut off his toes on one foot- lost to frostbite- with a stolen knife he used to escape. He remembered after finally finding his way back to civilization he used a payphone to call for help, but it was sort of a blur after that.  
  
But he sort of remembered the doctor from before, the one with those lovely brown eyes.  
  
Then Edmund saw a small bouquet of flowers sitting on the stand next to him, along with a note. He reached over and picked it up to read.

 

> ' _Mr. Hewlett,_  
>    
>  _They've moved you into another room, and being only an E.R. doctor I can't exactly follow. Sorry I couldn't be there when you wake up, as you asked me to stay, but I can come by when I'm on break. I hope you're doing better; your body temperature is up, so you should be fine as long as there are no complications. Rest easy._  
>    
>  _-Dr. Anna Strong.'_

  
  
Edmund read the note over again and smiled to himself. Anna had been the name of the doctor- he remembered now. He wondered if it was Anna who also left the flowers.  
  
He made a mental note to thank her when she stopped by.

 

* * *

  
  
He hadn't realized he had dozed off until he woke up again. Edmund looked over to the little clock that that set on the stand with the flowers; five hours had passed since he first woke up here. He didn't remember going back to sleep, but he must have if time had passed. In any case, that was no surprise after what he had just gone through.  
  
Edmund sighed and experimentally tried to move his foot, wriggle what toes he had remaining. He had feeling in his foot, and his toes too, even though there were few of them. That was a relief, as he had seen the frostbite on his foot and feared that it would have to be cut off to keep the frostbite at bay. He understood it being necessary if it came to that, but he would still hate having his foot amputated. Considering he still had feeling there meant that it hadn't been bad enough to warrant removal, meaning it was still there.  
  
He had already given himself an amputation anyway, knowing back then what had to be done. He recalled the memory of bringing the knife down on his frozen toes and he felt a flash of phantom pain.  
  
Edmund shuddered and he closed his eyes again. He had to remind himself that nightmare was over, and he was safe.  
  
There was the sound of a door opening and Edmund opened his eyes to see someone walk through the door. It was a woman, brown of hair and looking very familiar.  
  
“You're awake I see.” She said. “I'm sorry I couldn't be there like I agreed.”  
  
It clicked. This woman was Anna Strong, the doctor that had left the note. He had a vague memory of her, just an image really, and even then she was a lovely image. Seeing her now... Edmund thought she was just as pretty as in the memory.  
  
“I- Uh... I-It's alright. You were confined to the E.R.” Edmund assured her, stuttering a little. “I take it you are- you must be- Dr. Strong.”  
  
“Yes, I am. I treated you when you arrived.” Anna sat in a chair off to his side.  
  
“I found your note. I hope I'm not taking you away from your likely busy schedule.”  
  
“I'm on lunch break.”  
  
“Oh... Were you, um, the one who sent the flowers too? I don't mean to assume...”  
  
She gave a smile. “Yeah. I was worried about you, considering what you asked of me. It's a stupid attempt at making it up to you.”  
  
“Do not worry about it; I understand as a doctor you have other obligations. I just thank you for tending to me. I'm grateful.”  
  
“It's what I do.” Anna replied. “How do you feel?”  
  
Edmund considered this, moving his foot again. “Much better. My foot aches a little, and I'm tired, but other than that I'm fine. I was... worried you'd have to amputate my foot.”  
  
“You got lucky. I heard your condition was improving, but they want to keep you another couple of days to make sure there are no complications, just as I told you back in the E.R. Not cold anymore? You said before you were cold.”  
  
“No I'm not cold... but I said that? I...I guess I must have. I don't remember much of what I said.”  
  
“So you don't remember calling me an angel? You said there were stars in my eyes.”  
  
“What- oh dear...” He felt a bit embarrassed, and he looked away from her and down at his lap in response. He did recall it now that she mentioned it, the blur of memory subsiding. Yup, he remembered saying that. “I didn't mean to- I don't, um, exactly recall...”  
  
“It's okay. I thought you were a bit out of it anyway.” Anna said, as if it were nothing. “...So what do you remember?”  
  
“Cold... I remember that.” Edmund answered solemnly, his mind beginning to drift back into the memory of the three days, particularly the third day. “I'd been wandering for so long... I thought I was going to die. I had to cut my toes off when the frostbite started-” He gestured to his foot. “but you know that. However, I found my way back, and... I dialed 911 at the first payphone. I remember the paramedics asking what my name was, I briefly remember the ambulance... and then it all blurred together, though I'm beginning to remember.”  
  
“You were exhausted from... however long you were out there.”  
  
“Three days.” He blurted out.  
  
After he spoke there was a lengthy pause from Anna before she spoke again. “Three days? What happ-”  
  
“I was kidnapped.” Edmund blurted out, his hands clutching the sheets tighter. “This mad man who has a vendetta against me, Simcoe- he's escalated too far this time. I was taken to the middle of nowhere where he intended on exacting his revenge. However, I escaped, and I wandered around for three days; always looking over my shoulder and always questioning if I could find my way back. But I did, and now I find myself here.”  
  
He finally looked back up at Anna, her lips slightly parted but not saying a word. He sighed and closed his eyes, pushing the memories back again.  
  
Suddenly Edmund felt a hand on his and his grip on the sheets relaxed at the gentle human touch.  
  
“You're safe here.” She quietly said. “I'm sorry...”  
  
“I know I'm safe... Um, Dr. Strong, I would like to say that- I say I don't remember much about what happened after they put me in the ambulance, but... you stand out in that blur. Ah, that is to say, your face... it was the first friendly face I had seen in three days. Again, thank you for what you've done for me.”  
  
“You're welcome. I do think however you should contact authorities about what happened to you, especially if you know who is responsible.”  
  
“Oh, don't worry, I'll be doing just that.” Edmund said. “So... who was the doctor I was transferred over to?”  
  
“Dr. Washington, I believe. One of our finest.”  
  
“Then I'm in good hands, I assume.” He yawned, and he rubbed at his eyes.  Maybe he was still a bit tired.  
  
“I should probably run along; I just wanted to see how you were.” Anna said, rising from the chair.  
  
Edmund was a bit sad to see her go, but he understood. “Of course... I don't want to keep you from people in need of a doctor. Thank you for looking in on me, for everything.”

 

* * *

  
  
On her way back to the E.R. Anna happened to run into Dr. Washington.  
  
“Sir.” She greeted.  
  
George Washington smiled at her. “At ease, Dr. Strong; it's good to see you too.”  
  
“I know you're overseeing him now, but was just checking on Mr. Hewlett.”  
  
“Ah, yes, I heard you were with him last night when he was brought in.”  
  
“I was.”  
  
“You also left him flowers?” He added.  
  
“Uh...” Anna wasn't sure how to respond. “...Yes.”  
  
He studied her for a moment, like her answer was strange. “I don't recall you ever leaving flowers for a patient.”  
  
 “I was... worried, and me had asked me to stay with him, so- I was only trying to make it up to him. He's been through a lot.”  
  
“I see; it's a kind and sweet gesture. Well, don't let me keep you; I was on my way to see Mr. Hewlett myself actually. And don't worry Dr. Strong; he's in good hands.”  
  
Anna smiled at the older doctor. “I know. Good day.”  
  
She left and resumed walking back to the E.R.. True, she had never given flowers to anyone she had treated in the E.R. before until now. She had just been worried, but still, she hadn't done that before and she knew it. In any case, Edmund was alright and he was going to be fine. She had to get back to work.

Yet she smiled at the thought that Edmund was doing better. Maybe she'd go talk to him again when her shift was over.


End file.
